Arciera meridiana László & Schintlmeister, 2021

László, Gyula M., Schintlmeister, Alexander & Vetina, Alvaro A., 2021, A contribution to the knowledge of the prominent moths (Lepidoptera, Noctuoidea Notodontidae) of the Maputo Special Reserve with descriptions of four new species, Zootaxa 4965 (2), pp. 201-243 : 207

Arciera meridiana László & Schintlmeister sp. n. ( Figs. 17–19 , 111 , 138 )

Holotype. Male , “ Mozambique, 11m, Maputo Special Reserve, forest clearing campsite, Sand Forest, 26º17’24”S, 32º45’45”E, 9–12.VI.2017, MV Light Trap, Aristophanous, M., Laszlo, G., Miles, W., Vetina, A. leg. ANHRT:2017.26” unique number: ANHRTUK 00016371, gen. slide No.: LG 4897 ( ANHRT).

Paratypes. Mozambique, Maputo Special Reserve. 1 male, with the same data as the holotype, unique number: ANHRTUK 96555 ; 2 males, West Gate, 22m, ( Sand Forest ), 26°30’14.2”S, 32°42’59.6”E, 30.V.–9.VI.2017, MV Light Trap, Aristophanous, M., László, G., Miles, W., Vetina, A. leg.,ANHRT:2017.26, unique numbers:ANHRTUK 00077832, 00077833 ; 1 male, same site, ( Sand Thicket ), 24–25.II.2018, Actinic Light Trap, László, G., Mulvaney, J., Smith, L. leg., ANHRT:2018.2, unique number: ANHRTUK 00035028, gen. slide No.: LG 4896 ( ANHRT) .

Republic of South Africa. 1 male, St. Lucia Estuariy 20 m, 28°17’S 32°25’E, 12–13.XI.1989, leg. Oberprieler & Nässig ; 1 male, 1 female, Zululand, Umhlsluzi , 28.XI.1922 and 17.XII.1922 , B. Marley, gen. slide Nos: TM 16894, 16893; 1 male, Umdoni Park , 30.IV.–2.V.1982, leg. Scoble & Lawrenson ; 1 male, KwaZulu-Natal, Sodwana , 8–9.II.1997, leg. N.J. Duke , gen. slide No.: TM 16868; 1 male, Natal, Port Shepstone , 4.III.1989, leg. N.J. Duke , gen. slide No.: TM 16856; 1 male, Natal, Port Edward , 30.VIII.1988, leg. N.J. Duke ( TMSA) .

Diagnosis. Arciera meridiana sp. n., the south-east African sister species of A. grisea ( Holland, 1893) , described from Gabon, is distinguished by the following features: externally, the new species has a reddish wing coloration compared to the rather pale brownish grey or slightly yellowish coloration of A. grisea . In the male genitalia, A. meridiana has a slightly shorter uncus with a more dilated, bifid distal section and considerably shorter, slightly curved, latero-distally pointed apical processes. The new species also displays more curved socii, a shorter, markedly broader tegumen, a slightly narrower valva and a considerably shorter and narrower sacculus. The phallus of the new species is noticeably shorter and thicker with a shorter subapical carina dent. The eighth sternite of A. meridiana is considerably broader, its distal processes are much shorter and its proximal processes are longer with noticeably deeper medial depression compared to those of A. grisea . We did not study the female of A. grisea , so comparative studies of the female genitalia cannot be addressed in this paper.

Figures

FIGURES 1–19: adults (collected in the MSR and deposited in coll. ANHRT, unless otherwise indicated). 1, Thacona brunnescens, ♂; 2, T. stictica, ♂; 3, Ibidem, ♀; 4, T. smithi sp. n., holotype, ♂; 5, Ibidem, paratype ♂; 6, Postscrancia discomma, ♂; 7, Ibidem, ♀; 8, Archistilbia mlawula, ♂; 9, Ibidem, ♂; 10, Ibidem, ♀; 11, Ibidem, ♀; 12, Subscrancia albobrunnea, ♂; 13, Ibidem, ♀; 14, S. pinheyi, ♂; 15, Ibidem, ♀; 16, Arciera grisea, lectotype, ♂, [Gabon] Ogoue (CMNH); 17, A. meridiana sp. n., holotype, ♂; 18, Ibidem, paratype, ♂; 19, Ibidem, paratype, ♀, RSA, Zululand (TMSA).

FIGURES 111–112. Male genitalia (a: clasping apparatus, b: phallus, c: 8th abdominal segment). 111, Arciera meridiana sp. n., holotype, slide No. LG 4897 (MSR, ANHRT); 112: A. grisea, lectotype, slide No. LG 5206 (Gabon, CMNH).

FIGURES 136–141. Female genitalia. 136, Archistilbia mlawula, slide No.ANHRT 00377 (MSR, ANHRT); 137, Subscrancia pinheyi, slide No.ANHRT 00380 (MSR,ANHRT); 138, Arciera meridiana sp. n., paratype, slide No. TM 16894 (RSA, TMSA); 139, Desmeocraera distanti, slide No.ANHRT 00362 (MSR,ANHRT); 140, D. platti, slide No.ANHRT 00360 (MSR,ANHRT); 141, Eurystauridia iphis, slide No. ANHRT 00375 (MSR, ANHRT).